Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus connected to the image processing apparatus, particularly to an image processing apparatus by which even if a plurality of sheets of document placed on a document base or a plurality of image information sent from a host system such as a scanner or the like, are inclined respectively at different angles, the inclination of each of the image information can be corrected and aligned image can be outputted, and an image forming apparatus connected to the image processing apparatus and capable of conducting image forming operation in respect of image outputted from the image processing apparatus.
For example, according to an image processing apparatus an automatic document feeder (ADF) automatically setting document on a document base and continuously discharging document which has been set on the document base and has been read from the document base, is provided whereby swift finishing of image reading operation in respect of a large number of sheets of document is achieved.
In this case, if the document is set in an inclined state in setting the document onto the document base, image of the document in an inclined state is naturally read in reading it by a scanner or the like and when printing operation is conducted on paper by, for example, a printer, etc. connected to the image processing apparatus based on the inclined image, the printed image is inclined. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide means for setting the document in an aligned state in setting the document onto the document base or correcting the inclination in setting the document.
Hence, according to a conventional image processing apparatus, firstly, a lateral width regulating plate is set to a document tray of the ADF to prevent the document from setting in an inclined state. Further, when an operator sets document onto a document tray of the ADF, the operator regulates the document into an aligned state on the document tray by butting the regulating plate to the document and thereafter starts the transferring operation. The document may be inclined in the midst of transferring the document from the document tray of the ADF to the document base and therefore, the operator corrects the inclination of the document on the document base by butting a side of the document to a document scale (rule plate) provided on the document base as a reference position.
However, when a bundle of document to be set to the ADF is mixed with a plurality of sheets of document having different sizes, only the document having the maximum size can be butted to the above-described lateral width regulating plate (document having a size smaller than the maximum size cannot be butted) and therefore, the inclination of the document having a size smaller than the maximum size cannot be corrected. Also, when a plurality of sheets of document are set on the document base by the ADF, sides of all the document cannot be butted to the document scale and therefore, the positions or the inclinations in respect of all the document cannot be corrected.
In scanning a book etc. (hereinafter, book type document), an operator places two spread pages on the document base and the scanning is conducted. If the left and right pages are placed to be inclined in respect of a reference line such as the document scale on the document base by the operator, the image of the two scanned spread pages is inclined, giving rise to inconvenience wherein when the inclined image is printed by a printer, etc., the image is inclined in respect of the periphery of paper and looks untidy.
Furthermore, if respectives of image information are inclined when a plurality of image information sent from a host system or the like, are sent to an image processing apparatus, and the image processing apparatus outputs the respective image information without correcting the inclinations of the image information, for example, in the case where the respectives of image information are printed by an image forming apparatus connected to the image processing apparatus, there causes inconvenience in which the plurality of images are inclined in respect of the periphery of paper and look untidy.